June 4 Remembrances Wiped Out at HKU

Workers board up the bridge where a slogan is on the pavement

Following the dismantling of the Pillar of Shame just over a month ago, the University of Hong Kong continues to dismantle all remembrances of Tiananmen Square from the campus, as workers blocked off part of a bridge where students paint calligraphic commemorations of the 1989 crackdown every year.

On Swire Bridge the slogan says: "Souls of martyrs shall forever linger despite the brutal massacre; Spark of democracy shall forever glow for the demise of evils".

Students used to repaint the characters annually

But today nine construction workers wearing helmets and masks (to make them less identifiable) erected a metal partition in the morning to cordon off the part of the pavement on Swire Bridge where the commemorative messages were written.

The bridge is located off its namesake Swire Hall, a student dormitory.

Every year up until last June 11, 2021, representatives from HKU's student union have painted messages on the bridge's pavement to mark the anniversary of June 4, 1989.

In response to media inquiries about blocking off the bridge, a university spokesman said HKU "regularly conducts maintenance works at various locations and facilities", including the bridge.

Not like this before...

The slogan was a reminder of June 4, 1989

Jason Wong Ching-hin, an elected council representative for undergraduates at HKU, said the move was regrettable, saying that students and teachers have been repainting the pavement for the past 20 years to remind people about the history.

"The move by the university is incompatible with its role to uphold freedom of speech," he said, adding that he feared the university might no longer allow discussions on the crackdown and other sensitive topics in the future.

Along with repainting the pavement, students would annually clean the Pillar of Shame sculpture. 

As university officials in Hong Kong drag the institutions closer to Beijing's preferences, the further they move from freedoms of speech, expression, information and press. 

What would Sun say about HK?

Every time I walk past Dr Sun Yat Sen Memorial Park and see his statue in the middle of the grassy area, I wonder what he would think of Hong Kong now.

In 1887 he had studied at the Hong Kong College of Medicine for Chinese -- the forerunner of HKU -- and wondered what he would think about his alma mater's latest actions...

Getting the Jab, and Lam's Thoughtless Announcement

The first vaccine shot finally done today!

 

Today's the day I finally got my first vaccination! It was supposed to happen April 2, but about a week before the BioNTech/Pfizer shots were stopped temporarily because of problems with packaging. 

The Hong Kong government has set up an online booking system which is straight forward, but not for elderly people who would need to depend on younger ones to help them make an appointment.

Nevertheless, the government promised those who had scheduled vaccinations for BioNTech would not have to reschedule their appointments again, and through a text message on my phone, I was informed mine was reset for April 20 and in a different location. I looked up on the website to see there were slots available in the location I had first requested -- and a week earlier on April 13 and rescheduled my appointment for then, as well as for three weeks later. 

A line of people waiting to get into the jab

I arrived 30 minutes early to the Sun Yat Sen Memorial Park Sports Centre in Sai Ying Pun, and the staff there said it was fine to go in. We had to use the LeaveHomeSafe app to mark our appearance here before going upstairs to the gym that was not full but had many people in there. 

I showed them my text message and my Hong Kong ID card before being handed some information to read on the side effects from taking the vaccine. When we were ready we were then asked to sit in chairs numbered in order for a few minutes before transferring to the individual stations where nurses were administering the jabs.

Again she checked my HKID card, asked me several health questions, like if I had allergies to taking vaccines, seafood allergies, was I taking any medicine and so on. 

Then she swabbed the top of my arm, injected the vaccine (a tiny prick) and then it was done.

What a relief! Then I sat in a waiting area for 15 minutes. The nurse asked if I was feeling OK and then was allowed to leave.

More people waiting outside as I was leaving

When I got downstairs there was a line outside waiting to get in.

Many expats have praised the government for running such a smooth operation and also grateful to be able to get the vaccine for free. 

My second dose will be in three weeks, though some who have gotten it have reported mild to quite adverse reactions. Something to look forward to?

In any event, reaction to Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor's announcement yesterday about how restaurants should have 100 percent of staff and guests vaccinated, and that customers need to use the LeaveHomeSafe app have not gone down well with the that sector.

Some business owners said they were being put between a rock and a hard place, as they could not force their employees to get the jab, or insist that guests use the government-tracing app.

"As an employer, I feel like I am being put in a very difficult situation. The government seems to offer some ways to ease our plight. But in fact the new conditions are hard to implement and leave us with no choice," said Ray Chui Man-wai, chairman of the industry body institute of Dining Art.

Osborn has concerns about Lam's announcement

Those who fail to meet the requirements will have to continue only serving four to a table until 10pm, and allow customers to write down their contact information instead of using the phone app.

Chui is also chairman of Kam Kee Holdings, which owns about 36 restaurants and employs more than 800 staff. He said he could not force his employees to get vaccinated, adding only 10 percent of them have done so.

"Some staff may be reluctant to get the jab due to health concerns," he said. "If some of them refuse to get vaccinated, I cannot sack them as it is discriminatory.

"For diners, many old people or kids don't have a smartphone, should I turn them away simply because they can't install the government app? Also, many people resist using the app. I don't want to offend my customers and force them."

Another restaurant group owner added some staff are pregnant or have allergies and are unable to get vaccinated. It would be impossible for 100 percent of them to be vaccinated. 

Has Lam thought out her "vaccine bubble" idea?

Shane Osborn, an Australian chef and restaurateur chimed in, adding many families come to dine at his establishments, so did this mean they were not allowed to dine in? He also said the government is trying to reach 70 percent herd immunity, so why did restaurants have to have 100 percent?

Lam's announcement also didn't seem to receive any endorsements from health experts either, making it even more suspicious that her government acted alone on this without thinking it through carefully.

Wait a day or two and the government may have to backtrack on this silly announcement. The best thing to do would be to give HK$5K in cash to every person who is fully vaccinated. No one is keen on HK$5K in credit, that will only be distributed in denominations of HK$1K that must be fully used within a month before getting the next HK$1K.

The government is very good at logistics, but when it comes to enticing people to get jabs, it has no clue how to nudge them effectively.

No More Double Tenth?

Dr Sun Yat-sen's portrait in Tiananmen Square

 

If there is one thing Taiwan and China can agree on, it is that Dr Sun Yat-sen is the father of modern China.

They both respect him deeply, and Sun's portrait is placed in Tiananmen Square during national holidays, like the National Day holiday that just ended.

"Red House" in Tuen Mun

However being able to pay respects to him in Hong Kong was made impossible today, October 10, Taiwanese National Day, also known as "Double Tenth".

The Double Tenth anniversary commemorates the start of the Wuchang Uprising in Hubei province on October 10, 1911, which ultimately led to the overthrow of the Qing dynasty and resulted in the establishment of the Republic of China, which was led by Sun.

For Kuomintang compatriots in Hong Kong, today they would hold a raising ceremony and sing nationalistic songs and then pay their respects at Hung Lau, or "Red House" in Sun Yat-sen Garden in Tuen Mun. This was one of Sun's former revolutionary bases, and every year until today, over a hundred people would gather.

But this year was completely different.

Apparently the dilapidated home is owned by a mainlander and today it was guarded by black-suited security guards in bright orange vests. The garden was also crawling with police officers, something Mak Ip-sing had never seen before. He has been a longtime organizer of the events and the vice-chairman of the Yuen Long District Council. He studied at a Taiwanese University and his father was a KMT soldier.

Scuffle between a KMT patriot and security guard

Many KMT fled to Hong Kong after the Communists took over China in 1949, so Double Tenth is very important to them and their children.

One or two people tried to approach the over century-old building in Sun Yat-sen Garden and were roughly handled by the sharply-dressed security guards. 

In the end people gave up approaching the building and instead stood in groups of four nearby to sing nationalistic songs to avoid violating the social-distancing regulations.

Mak called off all events involving Taiwanese flags over fears of violating the new national security law.

"Our legal advice suggested that we should not risk falling afoul of the law, which is extremely vague and broad," he said, adding a lunch and dinner banquet had been organized, but the restaurant cancelled the booking at the last minute citing social-distancing measures. Mak believes the restaurant was pressured to cancel the event because it involved displaying Taiwanese flags.

No one was allowed near Hung Lau today

A man surnamed Chen, who wore a blue T-shirt printed with KMT characters, said he was deeply disappointed over being denied access and the lack of Taiwanese flags. Previously there would be many Taiwanese flags flying in the area for the day.

"Do the authorities fear the display of flags will endanger the security of China?" he said. "We are here to honour Sun Yat-sen for his role in ending 2,000 years of imperial rule in China." 

Indeed. Seems the desire to pay their respects to China's founding father has been kiboshed thanks to the more assertive control of Beijing over Hong Kong. 

Perhaps last year was the last year they could do that freely, and the same goes with the candlelight vigil to mark June 4 in Victoria Park, mass peaceful rallies on July 1 and October 1... the list will continue to grow...

Who Will Heed Lam's Universal Testing Call?

Hong Kong Government reveals new slogan this afternoon

Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor continues to sell Hong Kong down the river with pride.

This afternoon she held a press conference with the backdrop not as "Together, We fight the Virus", but a large photograph of AsiaWorld-Expo kitted out with hundreds of temporary beds and the words, "Fight the Virus with Central Government's Full Support".

The slogan wasn't even edited, showing how progressively Chinglish the Hong Kong government is becoming, while the message itself was blatantly shoe-shining.

Lam says there is free testing for the virus

It was as if Hong Kong residents needed to be hit over the head to realize that Beijing has our best interests at heart when it comes to fighting the pandemic -- which incidentally was first reported in Wuhan in late December.

Lam announced that due to the still high numbers of new coronavirus cases, the central government was kind enough to send experts to Hong Kong to help with mass testing for Covid-19. It will begin in two weeks and every Hongkonger will be eligible for a free test in a bid to find not only positive but also asymptomatic cases.

"We need the public's support, understanding and cooperation when we combat the outbreak... and the protection of the public's health and safety is always our top priority," Lam said.

"If people still have concerns, they do not have to come forward. This is an entirely voluntary program to provide testing for those who want to have the test," she added.

Labs are being set up in Sai Ying Pun

Who then, is going to take it, when there are fears of what the three mainland labs will do with the saliva tests afterwards, despite the Hong Kong government's assurances all samples will be labelled by a barcode that only the Department of Health would know the person's identity.

Doesn't Lam realize that she has lost so much credibility that no one believes her anymore? 

Today 89 new cases were reported in Hong Kong for a total of 3,938 and 47 deaths.

An experimental laboratory is being set up inside the Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Park sports centre in Sai Ying Pun.

This morning five Central and Western District councillors tried to check it out, but were stopped by 50 police officers, who issued tickets fining them for violating a ban on gatherings of no more than two people. 

After receiving the tickets, the councillors ripped them up in front of the media present.

Jordan Pang Ka-ho, one of the councillors, said the fact that officers did not allow them into the building showed the government was avoiding answering their questions.

"It's just our duty to monitor the facility, and also to have a meeting to question government representatives whether this is a safe facility [for] us." 

Some friendly reminders on how to stop Covid-19

The plan for mass testing goes against local health experts' advice, who all say there is no point in mass testing if there is no lockdown in the city. As long as people keep moving around, testing them one day does not mean they are immune; they could become positive the next.

The experts believe the more effective way is to test hot spot areas and high risk groups like taxi drivers, sales and restaurant staff, to see if there are more new cases. 

But alas, someone is not taking this pragmatic advice and prefers instead to listen to someone much higher up. And again, who is going to take this voluntary test? Maybe there will be free bags of rice and cooking oil as enticement?

Picture of the Day: Sunset on Buddha's Birthday

Took this sunset photo at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre

Today is Buddha's birthday, and to celebrate there were no new coronavirus cases in Hong Kong for the fifth consecutive day.

Lots of people were out and about, practically everyone in masks, though it was a bit unnerving to see so many people gathered when I walked past Dr Sun Yat-Sen Park in Sai Ying Pun around 6pm.

A chartered flight from Pakistan carrying 319 Hong Kong residents who were stranded there for the past few months arrived this evening at 7pm and were tested for the coronavirus so we may see a few new cases tomorrow from these passengers as the epidemic controls there are less restrictive.

There are some 2,000 people in Pakistan who want to come back to Hong Kong, and 2,300 in India.

But so far in the past 11 days there have been no local cases.

A picture from Kennedy Town around 5.45pm

Walking by the waterfront is not only a great way to exercise, but doing it with a friend makes the time (and distance) go by much faster. We got to catch the stunning sunset today as we were at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre in Wan Chai and then made our way back to Kennedy Town.

I clocked in 12km today, and this month have walked a lot, doing more exercise than I would normally do on the treadmill for sure. If and when the gyms reopen, will there be new protocols? Will they only allow half the capacity to be in at any one time? How will lockers and gym equipment be cleaned more regularly? It just seems strange to go back to being "gym rats" again.

However at the same time the weather is getting much warmer (29 degrees today) so exercising in air conditioning would be welcome too.

Lots to think about, but in the meantime enjoying the views outside.

Leaks on Carrie Lam's Frustrations

A recording reveals Lam's inability to resolve the crisis in Hong Kong

Another explosive report by Reuters reveals a taped recording of one of Chief Executive Carrie Lam's recent meetings with business people where she admits she is between a rock and a hard place.

In a speech in English, Lam says she made a serious mistake in putting forward the extradition bill, but now the crisis has become a national security and sovereignty issue, and so it is beyond her ability to control the situation.

She says, "... the room, the political room for the chief executive who, unfortunately, has to serve two masters by constitution, that is the central people's government and the people of Hong Kong, that political room for maneuvering is very, very, very limited". 

She claims the PLA will not come into Hong Kong

Wait a second -- when has she served the people of Hong Kong? She can also show some integrity and quit even if Beijing does not accept her resignation, but no she is still very much at Government House.

Interestingly she lets the business sector know in a closed-door meeting that while the National Day celebrations are less than a month away, there is "absolutely no plan" to deploy the People's Liberation Army on Hong Kong streets, as Beijing knows this is bad optics.

While we might be able to breathe a sigh of relief on this one -- might is the operative word -- Lam says Beijing is willing to play the long game in quelling the protests, even if it meant a drop in tourism, loses in capital outflows and IPO cancellations.

In other words this probably means even more arrests and prosecutions, not to mention more violent altercations with the police.

She also told her audience of her frustration at not being able "to reduce the pressure on my frontline police officers" or to provide a political solution to "pacify the large number of peaceful protesters who are so angry with the government, with me in particular".

Thousands of students protest at Chinese University campus

Her inability "to offer a political situation in order to relieve the tension," she said, was the source of her "biggest sadness".
 "For a chief executive to have caused this huge havoc is unforgivable," Lam said.

In her speech she added how this crisis has impacted her personally. "Nowadays it is extremely difficult for me to go out. I have not been on the streets, not in the shopping malls, can't go to a hair salon. I can't do anything because my whereabouts will be spread around social media."

If she were to appear in public, she said, "you could expect a big crowd of black T-shirts and black-masked young people waiting for me."

Has she even tried? The claim that she can't go to a salon these days doesn't have any sympathy from anyone.

And as if it wasn't obvious by now, Lam is now the least popular of all the chief executives since 1997. Veteran pollster Robert Chung of the Public Opinion Research Institute says her success in pushing through several controversial proposals bolstered her belief in believing she could ram through the extradition bill.

"All these things made her feel so confident, and when we had the first demonstration, she still thought, 'Don't worry, I'll get through in two days and things will be over,'" Chung said. "But she was totally wrong."

Dr Sun Yat-sen prepared for battle!

Lam again reiterated to her audience of business people that the extradition bill was of her doing, and that it was not instructed or coerced by the central government.

She admits it would be naive to paint a rosy picture for the near future, and said the government originally projected arresting 1,000 to 2,000 people.

"Hong Kong is not dead yet. Maybe she is very, very sick, but she is not dead yet," she said.

And who's fault is that?

She will have more to answer to tomorrow in her regular weekly news conference.

Earlier today several university campuses and secondary schools held protests on the first day of school.

It was very thoughtful of the students to prepare the father of the revolution, Dr Sun Yat-sen with a helmet, gas mask and gloves...

Kennedy Town Rally Spreads

At 4pm people start gathering at Belcher Bay Park in Kennedy Town

Currently there are running battles between the protesters and police this evening in Causeway Bay, Wong Tai Sin, and Tseung Kwan O.

It's a constantly fluid situation, and the reporters literally following them are getting physically exhausted, not to mention having to deal with the effects of being pepper sprayed and tear gassed.

Perhaps even worse is that the police refuse to answer hospital staff's inquiries about the chemical contents of the pepper spray and tear gas, making it difficult to treat protest patients effectively. Some have had horrific allergic reactions, leading to bubbles puffing up their skin.

Listening to speeches at the rally and drumming up support

This afternoon there was a rally in Belcher Bay Park in Kennedy Town. Normally it's where seniors take walks or young people jog in circles (literally), as the park is so over programed and not a lot of open spaces.

At first it seemed like a small group of about 200 at around 4pm, but things didn't get started until an hour later, by which time we heard the lawn behind us was full. It wasn't until afterwards could we see tons of people in black had occupied the park. It was pretty amazing.

There were a few speakers. The first were the organizers, one of them a man in his late 50s, or early 60s. He had applied to have the march go from Kennedy Town to Dr Sun Yat Sen Memorial Park and the police kept saying no.

They police asked why and then speaker told us in his mind he was thinking, "Because Dr Sun Yat-sen was the FATHER OF THE REVOLUTION!" but he actually replied, " Because the park has a large space to hold everyone."

However as the march would pass by the liaison office, the police refused to give the green light. So that is why the gathering today was confined in such a small area.

A sea of people in black completely takes over the park

There was a Form 5 student who spoke, then two University of Hong Kong students, and then two seniors who had participated in the parents' rally in Chater Garden.

The woman told a story (as elderly people like to tell stories, she added): "On the day of the typhoon, I found a small snake in my flat. I was worried and asked my friends about it on social media and they said it wasn't poisonous. But I was still concerned about it so my friends told me to call 999 for the police to come.

"They said when the police come you better put away all your black clothes and things. At first I thought why should I? But then I thought best to just put them away. And they came and the police dealt with the situation.

"But I was thinking that snake -- even though it's not dangerous, it's still there," she said, alluding to the extradition bill. She felt it was best that it was not there anymore.

And then she finished her speech by encouraging people to take part in tomorrow's general strike, adding we should not buy anything tomorrow either. "So make sure you buy everything that you need tonight!"

Even the playground area has a mini Lennon Wall

After a few more speeches, my friend and I left, and when we turned to leave, we were overwhelmed by how many people were in the park. Many were young, but there were a few elderly people, all dressed in black and trying to listen. Even the playground area was occupied by protesters. But the further away we got, they could barely hear the speeches and were talking among themselves.

We could see more people coming towards the park, while people standing near the entrance were handing out free bottles of water and snacks. During the speeches, bags of McDonald's hamburgers were being handed out too.

A short distance away is a pub and we went there for a drink, just before 6.30pm. The waitress told us they may close at 7pm to "evacuate the restaurant because of the event nearby". I was very annoyed and told her we were just there and it was fine.

But we were shooed out just before 7pm, and we took a quick shot of a gorgeous sunset before I sent off my friend to the MTR station and I picked up a few things in the supermarket before heading home.

The only serene moment to capture the sunset this evening

By this point some roads were closed down -- it turned out protesters were already occupying roads around the park and took the opportunity to deface DAB legislator Horace Cheung Kwow-kwan's office.

All seems quiet in Kennedy Town tonight, though police cars have blocked the road going eastward towards Sai Ying Pun and the liaison office, where it is completely barricaded with giant water barriers.

However the protesters didn't seem to care for this target -- been there, done that -- and instead hit Causeway Bay, then Wan Chai, Wong Tai Sin, then Kwun Tong, then Mei Foo and Lam Tin...

Talk about running all over town!

But the police need to answer this -- in Causeway Bay why were 16 rounds of tear gas shot in 20 seconds? Is that really necessary? Seems like a big waste of money AND pollution that affects not only the protesters but also those living in residences nearby.

Meanwhile CARRIE WHERE ARE YOU?

Singapore's Burgeoning Art Collection

Inside the National Gallery Singapore there is a lot of space to roam around

After an epic lunch at Odette, the contemporary French fine dining restaurant at the National Gallery Singapore, my friend and I walked around the museum.

I came here over two years ago and was very impressed by the renovation of the Supreme Court Building into a beautiful space that has a lot of room for people to wander and many restaurants and cafes. 

Georgette Cheng's Family Portrait

We checked out one exhibition in particular -- (Re) Collect: The Making of our Art Collection.

The museum went through its collection of over 8,600 pieces and showed almost 130 of them that demonstrate how it has evolved since the 1960s. In it there are works by various Asian artists not only from China like Zao Wou-ki, but also Indonesian, Malaysian and of course Singaporean.

One of the artists that caught my eye in particular was Georgette Chen (nee Chang Li Ying) (1906-1993), originally from Zhejiang province. Her father was an antiques dealer with businesses in Paris, London and New York. He was also a supporter of Dr Sun Yat-sen, which is why Chen and her 11 siblings -- yes a family of 12 children -- were encouraged to speak Mandarin at home and were sometimes taken on trips to China to see the revolutionary effort.

As she was born into a privileged household, she was allowed her to follow her interest in art and even went to Paris and New York to study. She eventually settled on Paris, where she met Eugene Chen, a Chinese diplomat and friend of Dr Sun. Chen was also an art and music lover who encouraged Georgette's art career. They married in 1930.

One of S. Sudjojono's sketches of daily life

However, during the Sino-Japanese war, they were imprisoned and her husband died in 1944 in Shanghai.

She moved to Singapore and her art focused on still lifes, landscapes, and the human figure. In the exhibition there are some of her works, including one called Family Portrait. It features the family of Chen Fa Shin, a long time family friend of the artist.

The description of the work explains the family was close to her as indicated by their relaxed postures. Each family member took turns posing for her, as she sketched them in charcoal and then she painted over the lines with oil.

Chen also became a teacher at Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts for many years.

Another interesting artist is Indonesian artist S. Sudjojono (1913-1986). The museum presents a series of ink and watercolour sketches that look like the precursor to infographics. The sketches are so intricate and include some text. They are observations of daily life as well as portraits and urban landscapes.

Stacks of old medicine bottles by Navin Rawanchaikul

One particularly intriguing work is by Thai artist Navin Rawanchaikul (b. 1971). His art installation, Asking for Nothingness looks like a massive collection of old medical bottles stacked up in several circular shelves.

But when you walk behind the stacks, the bottles aren't empty -- they are filled with black and white photographs of elderly people. You can't really see their faces and you're not meant to. The artist is shining a spotlight on how society neglects the elderly and illiiterate caused by rapid modernization.

This is Rawanchaikul's attempt to preserve the seniors' stories, reaffirming their cultural value in society. It's a pretty eerie piece, but it's provocative and forces you to think of all these people, shoved in the back of a cabinet and forgotten.

The National Gallery Singapore also has amazing views on its top floor. When you emerge from the elevator, the roof actually has water running on the glass ceiling and it creates a beautiful reflection of the urban landscape nearby. 

The bottles have pictures of elderly people in them

The rooftop area also provides great views of Marina Bay Sands, the exhibition centre and a massive grassy area for cricket. Of course there are restaurants and bars there for guests who want to eat and drink while taking in the view.

National Gallery Singapore

1 St Andrew's Road

Singapore

178957

Swimming and Dogs on Sunday

There was little fanfare about the Kennedy Town indoor pools open

I don't take the bus home often these days, mostly because of time. But yesterday I wasn't in a rush and did, only to find that when the bus passed the Kennedy Town Swimming Pool, I was shocked to see people standing outside.

It was just before 6pm and I saw a banner out front that announced the indoor pool was open!

I had read earlier it wouldn't open until April!

When I went home I checked the government website and yes -- it was open since February 9.

At left is the 50-metre pool, 25 metres on right, and jacuzzi

So this morning before a brunch appointment at noon, I rushed over to the pool to check it out.

Underneath the futuristic roof are two pools, one 25 metres long, the other 50 metres. The former looked like it was occupied with adults and children taking swimming lessons so I went over to the other pool.

While it was great to be in the pool again, it was dismaying to find nothing had been done to fix the problem of people swimming into each other thanks to no proper lanes nor separating people according to their speed.

As a result (much like my previous public pool experiences), I had to keep a constant eye on what was in front of me in case someone literally popped up in front of me and had to duck the side.I also had to pass many people because they swam so slow.

Yes, many of them were men!

I'm not used to swimming 50 metres so I got tired out quickly, but this will be good practice for me to build my endurance. In the end I swam 1,500 metres in about 35 minutes.

So many puppies asleep together, the latest addition at the top

In the changing room I overheard two women, one senior, one middle-aged, exclaim how wonderful it was to have the indoor pool open. They found the Dr Sun Yat-Sen pool in Sai Ying Pun inconvenient to get to, and so this one was a marked improvement. I hope they won't tell all their friends...

At the same time it'll be interesting to see the dynamics in the pools once the outdoor one is open too.

I still fondly remember swimming outdoors in November, when the water temperature was a bit cooler, which deterred many people from swimming outside, and a bonus was a nice tan on my back.

This little guy was very cute to meet!

After my brunch appointment in Central, I decided to walk home and took the long route, popping into stores I was interested in and then when I approached Sai Ying Pun I remembered a friend telling me about the SPCA having dogs available to pet from 3pm on Sundays.

I headed over and saw the "Adopt a dog" sign. In a makeshift pen, five puppies slept inside it. One of the volunteers gently pinched their ears but they were dead asleep. There were two dogs that were outside the pen on leashes. I got to pet one of them, a lovely mutt that was curious and very gentle, who didn't mind us patting his head.

It's too bad they are located in such a small obscure area so not many people know they are there. But it was nice to see some cute dogs and hope to visit them again soon...

Blue Skies for Chinese New Year

It was so clear today from the Peak you could see for miles, and miles...

My cousin and I walked up to the Peak this morning and it was a fantastic day to be out and about, blue skies with temperatures as high as 19 degrees!

We thought most people would be busy visiting relatives for the first day of Chinese New Year, but by the time we made it up to the main path, there were lots of tourists and locals taking advantage of the good weather too.

Down by the water near Dr Sun Yat-sen Park in Sai Ying Pun

It's not often the skies are clear, and probably thanks to strong winds and factories closed across the border, we had deep blue skies and hardly any clouds in sight.

Afterwards we came back to Central via minibus and I decided to walk home and try to be as close to the water as possible.

This was relatively easy from the Central ferry piers all the way to Dr Sun Yat-sen Park in Sai Ying Pun, and then I had no choice but to double back and get onto the pedestrian overpass that was a block from the harbour because of the highway overpasses for cars.

It wasn't until after I passed the Western Wholesale Fruit Market that I could again walk close to the water. By the time I hit Kennedy Town's bus terminus, an elderly man had just pulled up his trap from the water to have a bountiful harvest of small fish about the size of the palm of my hand.

An elderly man's catch of lots of small fish

He poured them into his bucket and some onlookers were impressed that he'd caught enough for a decent meal.

The trap that lured them in had a large piece of bread in it, which had become a soggy piece of mush.

Nevertheless, it was a fun finish to a wonderful day -- 19-degree weather (though not warm enough just to wear T-shirts!).

Wandering Sheung Wan and Taiping Shan

Clever frontage for a bar hidden behind this "shop" supposedly selling chops

Last Sunday after a delicious dim sum in Sai Ying Pun, some relatives and I walked around the Sheung Wan and Taiping Shan area.

Several piggies lined up with roast ducks too!

We saw a mix of old and new which juxtapose so well together, making Hong Kong a unique place to live in. As we walked along the start of Hollywood Road from the west, we saw a pine of pig carcasses hanging in a row on steel hooks.

One relative, who was visiting had to get a picture and I encouraged her to walk inside. The middle-aged men standing or sitting around invited us to come in, but warned the floor was slippery thanks to all the pig lard on the floor! Hanging above the carcasses were roast ducks too!

A cheerful mandarin tree plant

After climbing up hills and steps, we arrived in Taiping Shan. One deceptive shop front is Mrs Pound, or Pong Tai Tai in Chinese. In front is a display of all kinds of chops and rectangular-shaped stones that can be carved with Chinese characters.

But in fact this "shop" is a front for a bar inside -- if you can figure out how to get in. The hint is to press one of the buttons in the glass display...

Further along I spotted a cute mandarin orange tree plant in a small pot holder by a store front. What a wonderful way to liven up a space!

We also spotted a new restaurant that opened, and had a hand written sign apologizing for the slow service because of Chinese New Year. It looked cozy inside with an international menu. It may be a spot we come back to try.

An artistic homage to Dr Sun Yat-sen

Finally along Bridges Street, a wonderful colourful mosaic featuring Dr Sun Yat-sen in the top left corner and various buildings and street scenes of Hong Kong during the early 20th century.